Will they or won't they (make the playoffs)?

With the start of the PWHL’s second half, the standings don’t illustrate any real trends that would make anyone comfortable forecasting which four teams will qualify for the playoffs. There’s so much parity that any of the six could win a few or lose a few and change their position within days.

So, what are the ‘musts’ and ‘must-not’s’ for each of the six teams in the tightrope race to make the post-season?

MUST: Continue to get scoring from throughout the lineup. Last year, the team was top-heavy and relied on Marie-Philip Poulin, Laura Stacey, and Erin Ambrose for much of their offense. This year, the team is much more successful with the contributions from Abby Boreen, Jenn Gardiner, Cayla Barnes, Claire Dalton, and others. It’s gotten them into first place and will also get them into the playoffs.

MUST NOT: Over-rely on their goaltending. Ann Renee Desbiens has been outstanding already with a 1.77 GAA and .935 save percentage. So even with the offense clicking, their goalies have been contributing to their overall point totals. If they wear out their goalies, it might be possible to run into a losing streak, and maybe fall right out of the playoffs.

MUST: Put some consistent games together. Although they’ve improved since the beginning of the season, the Fleet have only had two regulation wins in a row once. They’ve had a very uneven schedule with travel and breaks, home and away, and haven’t found a rhythm that would make them a strong playoff contender (yet).

MUST NOT: Only get scoring from 3-4 players. This season, Hilary Knight has jumped to the top of the team points, and stalwart Megan Keller is right behind. Rookie Hannah Bilka was starting to show great potential, but is now injured, After that, Susanna Tapani and Alina Muller have six points each, and that’s it. No one else has shown any scoring punch, and that’s a problem when (again) this is a team that tends to over-rely on their goaltender Aerin Frankel. Playoffs might be unlikely unless this is corrected.

MUST: Score more goals, period. This is the lowest-scoring team in the PWHL (27 goals in 15 GP, compared to the next-fewest Boston’s 30 goals in 13 GP). They are the only team without anyone in the league’s top 25 scorers. Their top scorer is Tereza Vanišová with four goals and three assists, far below the other five teams’ who average 13.5 points each.

MUST NOT: Be afraid to mix things up. Sure, there’s something to be said for maintaining an even keel and not shaking up lines or making decisions based on small sample sizes. But if things aren’t working, you also can’t wait too long in a 30-game season. The trade for Jocelyne Larocque and Victoria Bach looks like it’s paying off. Maybe a winger to complement Brianne Jenner and Katerina Mrazova can be found to duplicate the success they had last year with Daryl Watts? Whatever it is, alchemy has to be on the list of options to get the Charge into the post-season.

MUST: Shake the injury bug. Now that Natalie Spooner has returned, the team’s second-leading scorer from last season, Sarah Nurse, is on the shelf. They’ve already recovered from not having Megan Carter for the first half of the season, and with her in the lineup, they looked better immediately. Last year, the Sceptres were incredibly lucky not to suffer any major injuries. This season, being on the flip side of that equation is a tough road to travel if they want to qualify for the playoffs.

MUST NOT: Throw Raygan Kirk to the wolves. It’s a bit harsh to say that Toronto has put rookie goaltender Kirk squarely in the line of fire and counted on her to pull the team through their rough start, but she has been essential to them pulling out of the basement and into fourth (for now). Whatever is bothering last year’s goalie of the year Kristen Campbell needs to be addressed because relying solely on a first-year netminder and not trusting your veteran could be a ticket to fifth or sixth place.

MUST: Use and trust both of their goalies. The tandem of Nicole Hensley and Maddie Rooney worked well for Minnesota last season, especially once they got to the playoffs. They needed both, because in each series, both goalies had moments where they struggled, and the other was able to come in and fare better versus certain shooters (we never know the science behind this phenomenon). Hensley has looked a little out of sorts, and they need her to be equally as good as Rooney has been.

MUST NOT: Disturb the good vibes on defense. Imagine having Lee Stecklein, Sophie Jaques, and Claire Thompson to put on the ice for half of every game. No matter who they have partnered with, these three stalwarts have been a huge factor in the Frost’s success. Melissa Channell-Watkins has been a revelation this season, playing a defensive defender role and excelling. While their forwards are carrying the showy part of the team’s success, it’s that back end that needs to stay note-perfect.

MUST: Keep their big four healthy. This means Alex Carpenter, Sarah Fillier, Ella Shelton, and Corinne Schroeder. Maybe it’s a stretch, but Fillier has pushed this group over the tipping point to where their already great players are now able to show their elite value. However, Shelton suffered an early-season injury, and now Carpenter is hurt. They might ride out some of these situations, but not for long stretches when the rest of the league is poised and ready to pounce on any weaknesses in every game.

MUST NOT: Only rely on the big four. Much like with Montreal, secondary scoring is vital for this team in order not to wear out their top players with too much ice time, too much pressure, and too many bumps and bruises. They also need to trust their next tier of players like Jessie Eldridge, Paetyn Levis, Micah Zandee-Hart, and Kayle Osborne to get confidence now so that the entire roster is ready to go into their first post-season.